So I was looking at MBeiges pictures of his engine.. After I had jacked up my jaw with the shop hydraulic jack, I stood in shock and horror-mode looking over the Chernobylesque mess that makes up my engine compartment and decided something must be done, quick.
Since I had the valve cover off for a valve job, I cleaned the cover, sanded it with fine grain, wet sandpaper, and topped that with polishing it. Then the accelerator linkage got it's treatment, primed and painted them all black.
So here's the result.. the cover really is like a mirror now. I don't know if I even like it. Looks like something out of a 50 cent rap video. Makes it even more obvious the rest of the engine needs some acute help. Oh no what have I done!

Before..
http://fatfranz.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/locket1.jpg
Just the cover
http://fatfranz.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/locket3.jpg
All stuff assembled
http://fatfranz.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/locket2.jpg

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Tomas, Sweden
1966 Mercedes Benz 230S with OM617.912, automatic. Disk brakes from W108
1983 Mercedes Benz 300TD grey, OM617.912 and 5-speed manual
1983 Mercedes Benz 300TD blue 7-seater, OM617.912 and 5-speed manual

I saw your car on youtube, it is NICE. I want it! Did it originally come equipped with a diesel??


Also that engine is nice now. I keep mine polished too. I dont know why, but I do

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1981 300SD 512k OM603

That's a good start, but I never polished mine.

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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7...144c3fc1dc.jpg

Looks good but what is that wart growing off the intake?

That wart looks to be for additional vacuum port, say vacuum guage or something but ye probly knew this already. Tom, if it was me I'd be worried about polished shiney valve cover not dispersing heat and then warping as they're sometimes known to do. Looks be leaking a little already on left rear corner. Valve covers are easily machined to restore flat surface. But strikes me polishing em aint a good idea. Yer 108/617 5-spd looks to be the ultimate diesel MB!! Heck I'd swap my 116 300SD for it any day of the week.

lookin good. I don't see any warts, just a typical n/a intake manifold sans that silly stock air cleaner.

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Cheers,
Robert

I need to get around to doing that

Ah, an "air cleaner" is what that mutation is being called.

Would the chunky stock filter even fit under the hood of a W108?

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

There is a Slinky coming off of the intake manifold!!
I love the valve cover.
I hate the very ill-advised air "kinda" cleaner.

**edit**
Heck, I didn't notice that was FatFranz! I love that car and your website documenting your rebuild. I think Franz would aspirate much better with a traditional air cleaner setup, though.

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

now take a tooth brush and brasso to that intake manifold

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1981 300SD 512k OM603

It did but it doesn't look that great. A little cleaning and fresh paint would make it right.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

How does a polished metal surface disperse less heat than a cruddy one? Available surface area? Crud should insulate, no?

Yes, my apologies to everyone, that "thing" is the air filter.. I know it doesn't look good but I have few other options since the relocated battery occupies a large part of the space a stock 123 cleaner would need.. and the other picture posted by lietuvai (also my car.. lol) has a stock setup but it has on the other hand the 115 intake, which points in completely different direction thus allowing a "original" setup.

Thanks JimmyL för your nice comments both here and on the blog!

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Tomas, Sweden
1966 Mercedes Benz 230S with OM617.912, automatic. Disk brakes from W108
1983 Mercedes Benz 300TD grey, OM617.912 and 5-speed manual
1983 Mercedes Benz 300TD blue 7-seater, OM617.912 and 5-speed manual

I have a spare om602 valve cover I want to polish.. what procedures did you do?